School of Life and Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Science and Technology
Rebecca Sagoe-Crentsil I boarded the plane with mixed feelings. My dream was finally tangible; I was flying to Toronto, Canada to begin a four-month exchange program at the University of Waterloo. There was a growing sense of excitement accompanied by slight apprehension. Would I be able to cope? Was I doing the right thing? Will the study load be comparable to what I was accustomed to? Upon arrival, my fears gradually dispelled as I embraced the opportunity to learn and grow in my new environment. I vividly recall the first day I walked across the street from my residence to the campus. It was autumn, or ‘fall’ as they say in Canada, so the weather was beautiful. The leaves were a hundred different colours, there were squirrels running throughout the campus hoarding food for the winter, while the famous Canadian geese flew in formation overhead. There was a sense of awe and achievement. I was here! After months of careful planning and never-ending paper work, I was actually in Canada! The semester began with a frenzy of activities, there were books to buy, appointments to be made, and assessments to be submitted. Overall, the study load was similar to what I was accustomed to and the lecturers were always available to offer advice and guidance. For the most part, assessments were progressive, meaning that there was something due all the time! The units I chose were somewhat similar in content to Deakin units; however, the advantage was the Canadian and international perceptive on prominent issues in environment and ecological disciplines. As time went on, the masses of strangers that I had encountered on campus during my first weeks, changed to friendly faces; people I had met in student residence, friends from my class, friends from the many clubs I had joined! Staying in student residence was a bonus in itself as I was never alone. There was always a friend to talk to over dinner, to walk to classes with and a companion for sight seeing trips. On special occasions, like Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas, our entire residence celebrated with superb dinners and activities facilitated by the staff. These festivities were awesome opportunities to meet fellow students from around the world. All too soon, the weather changed from sunny days to freezing cold and final exams were rapidly approaching. It was hard to believe that the semester was over so quickly. I had experienced so much and met friends for life. After many sad goodbyes to all my new friends, I boarded the plane for my flight back home. There was a sense of accomplishment, I did it! I had lived overseas, travelled through Canada and the United States, met so many new friends and achieved a high distinction average for my course work! My advice: Go on exchange, it was the best four months of my life!
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